Process of separating liquids and solids



Patented Aug 5 193Q- rnNnYQA. BRYsoir ,.or rnor,v roux, nssrdnom BzMEsun nssrsmvrnurs, r0 1 g IOLHURsT,MACHINE,WOBKS,'INQ, or TRQY,:NEW roars, a-conrorm'rron or new. i

1 ;i rnoonssor.sEPARArrNemQUInsANnsoLIns g revi win if i ff'The invention relates tofa novel process for centrifugally separating a" divided or frag-' mentary material, or small aggregated solids, and a liquid adherent onsuoh material. or

solids.

Objects" and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part hereinafter EtIldlIll part willbe obvious herefrom,*or 'may'be learned "by practicewith-the invent-ion.

The invention consists inthe novelsteps, ."sequences and processes here n descrlbed 1n an exemplary manner.

The invention is directedmore particularly to separating aggregated vmultipartlte solids, whether fragmentary or an aggregate" of smallsolids,and a liquid adherent thereto in relatively small quantities. v

Such a-mixture can not be readily orprofitably separated by ordinary centrifugal methods, For instance, if separation in the ordinary perforate basket is attempted, the

separating force will be in the same proportionas is the ratio of the centrifugalforceto gravity compared to thesurface tens on of the film of liquid adherent upon the solid. That is, the same ratio or per cent of the liquid would be thrown ofifr-om the solid, but as the original amount of adherent liquid is very small, the proportion thrownofl' would likewiselbe Very small and the residue remaining 1 still adherent upon'thesolid wouldbe rela-- tively large. Thug-this method wouldbe commercially profitless.

7 Shouldseparation be essayed in an imperforate basket, that is, ifit is attempted to compact the solids against the cylindrical basket wall and to builda wallof the adherent liquid within the so compacted solids, and

' then draining the liquid but of the centrifu liquid, and usually a relativelylarge volume thereof, isiadded tothe' mixture of multifranc-amt filed. October" 5, 1926." Serial 1%. 139,7 4.

partite solids and adherent liquid, the hq i then being centrifugally separated" from the solid and thereafter the two'liquids are separate'dffrom each other, also preferably by centrifugal action. The process" effects the removal of small'amounts of valuable liquid from-solid particles-or fragments .by increasand removing the mixed liquid oentrifugally',

Preferably. centrifugally, from f the" added "liquid a i 'A typical example'of'intermixed materials tozwlnchmy'proc'ess is applicable wouldbe "Inultipa-rtite or fragmentary solids to which oil is adherent. A particular instance isiish ing the volume of-liquid by add-inga ,chemically'unert, and usually inexpensive liquid, 1 r

and then, separatingthe valuable' liquid,also V scraps? covered more. or less thinly with'oiL 1 itlbeing desirable but diiiicult to recover the oil fromthe scraps. The added liquid in this [instance may be water, and this may be added at different times or at different stages on 'points'in the process as may 'be'found "de 'sirable' or most eflicacious, so far'as concerns the broader' features of the invention. The auxili ary liquid will be of less specific gravity than the solid, so that the solids will move to and compact against'the basket wall and will not betfloated out by the liquid or mix- 'tureiof liquids.-

* In separating certain materials, thesolid orsolids' with the adherent liquid'mayibe placed in an 1mperforate centrifugal basket,

and the auxiliary liquid, usually water, may i be supplied while the basketfis running. 1n

the case of the oil as'the'adherent liquid, thev water will displace the'oilcentrifugally, and

due to the pressure will build up in the interstices between the pieces orparticles' of solid,"

displacing theoil' therefrom by reason of its 'greaterspecific gravity. The layer of oil will be backed in toward the'center of the basket, and will spillover thetop ring of the basket or; be ,disc'liarged byanyother suitable dis-. charging means or device.v p V "If'the 'oil or other liquid to be separated ei nulsified with the water or other auxiliary liquid, sufiicient water is used preferably :to

create an emulsion rather lean in oil, so that ,i I

the loss of. liquid remaining within the inter cases, may be stirred into the mixture of oils and solids which is to be separated, before and preparatory to the first centrifuging.

. The procedure will be found advisable usually when the oil and water, or equivalent tite material and a liquid adherent thereon which comprises emulsifying an added liq- 'uidf with the adherent ali-quid, j centrifugally separating the emulsion from the solid and liquids, 7 form an emulsion, and especially then separating the emulsion into its consify with the original liquid, that is, the liqwhen the oil or other adherent liquid is not i readily split off or detachedfrom the solid, as the water comes into better contact with the solid particles by agitation an'd a rela tively large amount of Water could be added in such cases to form thelean emulsion so as to avoid loss,.as already described. The in-. termixing may be effected if desired in a me chanical agitatorl v Y {"Where theauxiliary liquid does not emuluid which is adherent to and is to, 'beseparated from the sohds, theaux1l1ary liquid original liquid inorder to float the latter out, that is, so that the liquid to be separated may "fornrthe inmostwallor layer in the centrifugal. Also the auxiliary liquidmust be of less tite' material and a liquid adherent thereon i stituent liquids.

v 4. The process-"of- -re earing:semi ariansties of valuable liquid from solid' articles which comprises increasing the v0 ume of the liquid by adding a chemically inert liquid, removing the'inixed liquid bycer'itri'fii gal action andthen, separating the valuable liquid from the 'a dded: liquid by centrifugal action. I a a In testimenywvhereof, ,1" have; signed my I name to this specification;

. TANDY annYsouj must! be of greaterspecific gravity than the intoa Wall or layer against the Wall ofthe basket. e q e If the auxiliary liquid does emulsify with the original, or adherent liquid, it maybe of p less specific gravity than the original liquid,

because the emulsion may come out of the first centrifugal without eaking.

The :final separation of the twoliquids, namely, theauxiliary liquid and the original liquid is preferably effected in a'high-speed separator or centrifugal of the, cream' separator type, which type is usually most efficient ineffecting a sharp andelean separation of two liquids. I

By thesimple facile and inexpensive proce'ss of the present invention relatively very I small quantities of valuable-liquids which are adherent upon 'multipartite solids may be recovered almost entirely whereas they are practically irrecoverable byv present, processes; I 7 What claim is 1.The process of separating a multiparwhich comprisesadding thereto another liquid and subjecting to centrifugal action, to

separate the solid and liquids and subjecting i the mixed liquids to centrifugal action to separate the liquids from each other.

2. The process of separating a multipartite material and a liquid adherent thereon which comprises adding thereto. another liquid of less specific gravity than the solid and of greater specific gravity than the adherent and .sub ecting to centrifugal action i 

